• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

work stands

ezwicky

Member
howdy all,

i want to ask: what does everybody like for a work stand?

i have an R90/6 and i would like to get the front wheel higher off the ground than the center-stand gets it.

i'd also like to have the rear wheel off the ground without asking my wife to lift up on the rear of the bike.

thanks in advance,

-eric
 
howdy all,

i want to ask: what does everybody like for a work stand?

i have an R90/6 and i would like to get the front wheel higher off the ground than the center-stand gets it.

i'd also like to have the rear wheel off the ground without asking my wife to lift up on the rear of the bike.

thanks in advance,

-eric

It all depends on how high I need to raise things. I sometimes put the center stand on one or more lengths of 2x6.

To keep the rear off the ground, I put an adjustable jack-stand under rear axle.

For more height, I have an Aerostich Wheel Crate Workstand (steel model).
 
I usually hoist the whole bike off the ground or one end or the other
with a comealong ratchet type fence stretcher to the rafters in one location
Or an electric chain hoist in another location

If you only need 4 to 6 inches you can use a stack of 2"x material about 3 ft long
put bike on centerstand on hard surface back bike onto one 2x to make centerstand lift easier then kick the board out
tie centerstand forward to front motormount bolts or other so it won't fold up
put 2 x 8 end against inside of far side of stand away from you
lean bike toward you and push end under far centerstand leg
lean bike away from you and kick near end under nearside centerstand leg
then repeat the process with 2x6 on top of the 2x8
then repeat the process with 2x4 on top of the 2x6 if necessary

you can get quite high with no back strain or serious muscle work

then use jack or lever to teeter the bike to elevate whichever end you need up and block it there with something

go to work
 
Last edited:
If you do the bike on the 2 X 4 process: remember to loop a belt, comealong, or something solid from the crossbeam of the center stand to the crossover tube of the exhaust. This prevents the embassassing event of the rolling foward and resting on the oil pan...or in the worse case scenerio, on the front forks, oil pan and final drive... Trust me on this...

Mac
 
If you do the bike on the 2 X 4 process: remember to loop a belt, comealong, or something solid from the crossbeam of the center stand to the crossover tube of the exhaust. This prevents the embassassing event of the rolling foward and resting on the oil pan...or in the worse case scenerio, on the front forks, oil pan and final drive... Trust me on this...

Mac

Been there, done that. Bike looked like some sort of Airhead snowmobile!
 
Works Stands

Justin, Saw your comment with regards to Aerostich Wheel Crate Workstand (steel model) and I want to say Thank you. This is just what I have been looking for as I am down sizing and the bike lift I have takes up to much room and I am not getting any younger moving this beast around. Googled these people and I for one didn't know they even existed let alone in North America. Great and very interesting place to brows. Reminds me of when I was a kid as the best time of year is now when we got the Simpson Sears and Eaton catalogue's back in the day!:newtoy
 
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3R3SORVOXto" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I've jury rigged quite a bit of stuff in my life, but I don't think I'd care to use this set up.

Not really tall enough to be able to comfortably work on the engine, and using a scissors lift on top of the rail to raise the bike seems like it's asking for it.

Kinda like this...

forklift.jpg
 
I use two milk crates and a 2"x 12"x 8' plank. I was able to stabilize it by attaching a spreader 2x2 to the front box. (Just like the three hundred dollar aluminum one.) I thought it would be a bit sketchy but after taking the exhaust nuts off with out rocking the bike I was able to relax and wrench away. There was a bit of a sag to the plank but a pair of 2x2 's screwed to the edges made it solid. Another milk crate for a seat, and I could sit and comfortably work on the heads and cylinders. Plus it was the perfect height to peer into the headlight bucket.:D
 
Wood Work Stand from the MOA News years ago...

It took me a while to find the drawing I made. This seemed like a good idea 20 years ago but now the cost of the materials might be an issue. Lash the front or rear wheel down and move the opposite table out of the way for unrestricted access or just leave them together for a great work bench. I took the basic dimensions from the original drawing. I'd suggest doing a chalk layout on the floor of your garage just to be sure. I use the Handy Lift myself. Good used ones go for around $400.00 - $500.00 in this area and show up on Craigs list every 6 months or so. What would the wood cost to make the table as drawn? I might add a largish flat steel plate to place under the center stand. OH~! drawing not to scale :)
 

Attachments

  • bikestand.jpg
    bikestand.jpg
    73.2 KB · Views: 219
Who makes that lift?

I took one of those out the door at Harbor Freight for $339 with the right combination of coupons. You would want to drill and fit eye-bolts on the corners, and USE them with ratchet straps. I am going to fab up some outriggers for the frame.
 
The hydraulic lift table is by far the best choice. Strong, stable, continuously variable height adjustment. I park my bike on my lift so as to economize on space. If this doesn't work for you, I wouldn't be surprised if you could park your car over it to save space as well.

My only gripe is that with my faired bike I have yet to find a good way to align the front tire with the chock while pushing the machine onto the stand. Second & third attempts wear me out.
 
The hydraulic lift table is by far the best choice. Strong, stable, continuously variable height adjustment. I park my bike on my lift so as to economize on space. If this doesn't work for you, I wouldn't be surprised if you could park your car over it to save space as well.

My only gripe is that with my faired bike I have yet to find a good way to align the front tire with the chock while pushing the machine onto the stand. Second & third attempts wear me out.

Don't know if it'd help or not but two parallel lines straight down table from edges of chock really helped me.

FWIW - you can get a $299 coupon for the HF lift out of pretty much any motorcycle magazine. (American Iron, Cycle World, etc)

I've got a handy lift and it took me a bit to bite the bullet but I wish I had done it years ago
 
Back
Top